Key Idea.
Section 1
Scientists Investigate Past Weather
Forensic meteorology is the science of reconstructing past weather events. Like detectives, these scientists use data to solve mysteries about what happened on a specific day.
They gather evidence to determine if a specific storm caused damage, using physics and math to verify eyewitness accounts and fill in gaps in the record.
Section 2
Investigators Evaluate Source Reliability
Not all data is equal. A key part of science is vetting sources. A reliable source is one that is objective and consistent, like a calibrated weather radar.
Subjective sources, like a person saying "it rained a lot," are less reliable. Investigators must weigh the quality of each piece of evidence before using it to build a conclusion.
Section 3
Data Must Be Relevant
Even reliable data is useless if it doesn't answer the specific question. Evidence must be relevant.
For investigating wind damage, rainfall data might be accurate but irrelevant. Scientists must filter through the data to find the specific pieces that address the investigative question.
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Section 1
Scientists Investigate Past Weather
Forensic meteorology is the science of reconstructing past weather events. Like detectives, these scientists use data to solve mysteries about what happened on a specific day.
They gather evidence to determine if a specific storm caused damage, using physics and math to verify eyewitness accounts and fill in gaps in the record.
Section 2
Investigators Evaluate Source Reliability
Not all data is equal. A key part of science is vetting sources. A reliable source is one that is objective and consistent, like a calibrated weather radar.
Subjective sources, like a person saying "it rained a lot," are less reliable. Investigators must weigh the quality of each piece of evidence before using it to build a conclusion.
Section 3
Data Must Be Relevant
Even reliable data is useless if it doesn't answer the specific question. Evidence must be relevant.
For investigating wind damage, rainfall data might be accurate but irrelevant. Scientists must filter through the data to find the specific pieces that address the investigative question.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter